Browsing: Carrier Classic

It looks like the first-ever college basketball game played on an aircraft carrier will be played above deck. A rainstorm had threatened to strike San Diego just in time to push the Quicken Loans Carrier Classic into the hangar bay. But it is now forecast to hit the area early on Saturday. Conditions for the game between North Carolina and Michigan State are now predicted to include partly sunny skies and a high temperature of 69 degrees — pretty much perfect for outdoor basketball. The impressive transformation of the Carl Vinson’s flight deck to a basketball arena appears to be almost complete, as you can see…

From the Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer: North Carolina players and coaches talk about their connections to the military and what it means to be a part of the game: From the Lansing (Mich.) State Journal: Michigan State senior Austin Thornton’s brother, a second lieutenant based at Camp Pendleton, Calif., will watch his brother play at the Quicken Loans Carrier Classic.

The first college basketball game to ever be played on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier will happen on Friday. Well, maybe not. A storm could hit San Diego on game day, which would force the Quicken Loans Carrier Classic to be played in the Carl Vinson’s hangar deck. Weather.com says there’s a 50 percent chance of rain on Friday, and they’re also saying that the high temperature will be 62 degrees. Making things even worse for the players, there’s also supposed to be 10mph winds that could gust to significantly higher speeds. As you can see in the gallery below,…

It’s not a huge surprise, but it’s official now: The North Carolina Tar Heels will be ranked No. 1 in the nation when they play Michigan State in the Quicken Loans Carrier Classic on Nov. 11 in San Diego. The USA Today / ESPN Top 25 Coaches Poll was released today, and UNC got 30 out of 31 first-place votes. UNC is loaded this year, and the sailors and other service members watching the Carrier Classic will be seeing some future NBA players go after it on the Carl Vinson. The Tar Heels return all five starters from last season…

The list of famous fans attending November’s Carrier Classic on the Carl Vinson keeps on getting longer. The latest to commit to the game is President Obama, who has accepted an invitation to attend the matchup between North Carolina and Michigan State, the AP reported today. Earlier this week, Hall of Famer and UNC alum James Worthy was announced as North Carolina’s honorary captain for the game. Worthy’s fellow “Showtime” teammate Magic Johnson, an MSU alum, had previously agreed to be the Spartans’ honorary captain. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus will also be in attendence. The Veterans Day game on the Vinson…